70 years ago today 30 October 1944 - From the 8th AF Historical Society database and The Mighty Eighth War Diary by Roger A. Freeman. Mission 693: 1,279 bombers and 978 fighters fly a major mission against German oil production facilities; deteriorating weather caused the recall of 3BD, and 1BD to seek secondaries; all bombing by PFF; Bomb Groups participating included all 1BD, all 2BD except 445BG and 489BG and all 3BD except 487BG; 2 bombers and 5 fighters are lost: 1. 357 B-24s of 2BD are dispatched to hit the Harburg oil refinery (72) and Rhenania oil refinery (67) at Hamburg; targets of opportunity are Hamburg (28), Cuxhaven (25), Wesermunde (21), Uetersen (9), Bremen (1) and other (1); 2 B-24s are lost and 30 damaged; 19 airmen are MIA. Escort is provided by 293 P-47s and P-51s; 4 P-51s are lost (pilots MIA). Bomb Groups participating (losses) – 44BG (1 a/c), 93BG, 389BG, 392BG, 446BG, 448BG, 453BG, 458BG (1 a/c), 466BG, 467BG, 491BG. 2. 463 B-17s of 1BD dispatched hit secondary targets, the marshaling yards at Hamm (209) and Munster (192); targets of opportunity are Osnabruck (12), Enschede (2) and other (4); 17 B-17s are damaged; 1 airman is WIA and 2 MIA. Escort is provided by 123 of 135 P-47s; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot MIA). Bomb Groups participating – 303BG, 305BG, 306BG, 351BG, 379BG, 381BG, 384BG, 398BG, 401BG, 457BG, 91BG, 92BG. 3. 459 B-17s of 3BD dispatched to hit the Leuna oil refinery at Merseburg are recalled due to deteriorating weather; 2 B-17s are damaged. Escort is provided by 482 of 508 P-51s without loss. Bomb Groups participating – 94BG, 100BG, 34BG, 385BG, 388BG, 390BG, 447BG, 452BG, 486BG, 490BG, 493BG, 95BG, 96BG. Mission 693A: 2 Castor B-17 drones accompanied by 3 control B-17s of 3BD make an APHRODITE attack on Heligoland Island, Germany; One drone failed to respond to control and crashed in Sweden; escort is provided by 7 P-47s; 26 of 27 B-17s, escorted by 8 P-47s fly a cover mission to Heligoland without loss. All Fighter Groups except 20FG operating. Fighter Groups participating (losses): 4FG, 55FG, 56FG, 78FG, 339FG, 352FG, 353FG, 355FG, 357FG, 359FG (1 a/c), 361BG (1 a/c), 364FG, 479FG (3 a/c). OTHER OPERATIONS: 7PG dispatched 2 F-5s on PR Germany. 25BG dispatched 1 Mosquito on PR Germany, 4 Mosquitoes on WR Holland, Belgium, Germany and 3 B-24s on WR Azores/UK. Scouting Forces dispatched 34 P-51s (32 effective) on WR for bombers. ASR dispatched 14 P-47s on patrols. 1 B-17, 6 P-47s, 15 P-51s on radio-relays. Mission 694 - NIGHT LEAFLET OPERATION: 2 B-17s and 7 B-24s of 1BD, 422BS drop leaflets in the Netherlands and Germany during the night. 36BS dispatched 7 B-24s on RCM. 25BG dispatched 2 Mosquitoes (1 aborted) to SE Germany on H2X scope recon. Excerpt and Mugwump photo from Century Bombers by Richard Le Strange, Red Bowman notes on the 30th: Briefed for Merseburg. Mission recalled at 0624, Will this damn weather never break. The Third Division also dispatched two stripped down, war weary B-17s, known as Castor Drones, with three control B-17s (Mothers) on an Aphrodite and cover attack on a naval installation on Heligoland. One droned, B-17 42-30066, called Mugwump, was originally assigned to the Hundredth and arrived at Thorpe Abbotts with William Flesh and his crew. (The drones were generally filled with 20,000 pounds of Torpex, a British explosive contained on boxes weighing sixty-three pounds gross. On taking off in the usual manner and having set the robot on course, the second crewman would arm the fuses, then bail out with the pilot, while the Mother took control from a distance.) On this occasion, one baby failed to respond to its parents radio signals and flew on by itself, to eventually crash in Sweden. According to a Wiki entry, Bad weather prevented the primary target from being identified, and both aircraft were directed towards Berlin. 3438 soon crashed into water due to low fuel. 30066 (Mugwump) flew independently to Sweden where it crashed. The escorting aircraft had previously had to return due to low fuel. First 2 Castor photos are 42-30066 Mugwump, third is 42-3438.
Posted on: Thu, 30 Oct 2014 16:24:43 +0000
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